Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-85845 discloses a game apparatus in which a main character is followed by a subordinate character.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-172868 discloses a game apparatus in which a plurality of characters move in a group.
The game apparatus disclosed in the first reference includes only one subordinate character, whereby it is impossible to move a plurality of subordinate characters so as to follow a main character.
In the game apparatus disclosed in the second reference, individual characters determine their own traveling directions independently, which makes it difficult to seta single destination. As a result, it is impossible to move the characters in formation, or rearrange the formation of the characters.
Also, the game apparatuses disclosed in these references do not consider the need for a character which cannot move forward due to an obstacle (e.g., topographic features, etc.) to detour around the obstacle. However, the processing load will be increased if an appropriate detouring route has to be determined depending on the situation (e.g., a location of the character or information on the topographic features around the character, etc.) every time an obstacle blocks the character's path.
Therefore, certain exemplary illustrative embodiments provide a game apparatus that is capable of moving a plurality of characters in a natural manner while solving at least one of the above-described or other problems.
Certain exemplary illustrative embodiments have the following aspects to attain the features mentioned above (references in parentheses indicate exemplary elements which can be found in the exemplary illustrative embodiments that follow, though such notes are not intended to limit the scope of the invention).
A first aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is directed to a game apparatus for executing a game having a first character (leader character) and a plurality of second characters (sub characters) appearing therein. The game apparatus comprises an operation unit (20), first character movement control means (22, S18), destination coordinates setting means (22, S40), correlating means (FIG. 10, 78), and second character movement control means (22, S20).
The first character movement control means controls a movement of the first character in a game space based on an operation by the operation unit, and sets first character coordinates which are coordinates of the first character in the game space. The destination coordinates setting means sets a plurality of destination coordinates (slot coordinates) in the game with reference to the first character coordinates set by the first character movement control means (FIG. 5). The correlating means correlates each of the plurality of second characters with any of the plurality of destination coordinates. The second character movement control means controls a movement of each of the plurality of second characters such that each second character moves toward the destination coordinates with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means, and sets second character coordinates which are coordinates of the second character in the game space (FIG. 11). The second character movement control means controls the second character so as to move toward the destination coordinates based on a predetermined algorithm. The predetermined algorithm may cause the second character to move toward the destination coordinates in a linear manner, or may cause the second character to move toward the destination coordinates in a non-linear manner. The predetermined algorithm may calculate a path to the destination coordinates, and causes the second character to move toward the destination coordinates along the calculated path. Alternatively, the predetermined algorithm may cause the second character to move toward the destination coordinates while detouring around an obstacle.
According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, the second character movement control means determines a traveling direction of each second character based on the current second character coordinates and the destination coordinates with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means.
According to a third aspect, in the first aspect, the game apparatus further comprises relative coordinate storage means (16, FIG. 6) for storing relative coordinates of the plurality of destination coordinates with reference to the first character coordinates. When the first character coordinates are changed by the first character movement control means, the destination coordinates setting means re-sets the plurality of destination coordinates in the game space based on the changed first character coordinates and the relative coordinates stored in the relative coordinate storage means.
According to a fourth aspect, in the first aspect, the game apparatus further comprises footstep coordinate storage means (22, S36) for storing the first character coordinates set by the first character movement control means as footstep coordinates; and first determination means (22, S52) for determining whether or not each second character is able to move toward the destination coordinates with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means. The second character movement control means moves the second character unable to move toward the destination coordinates, with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means, based on the footstep coordinates stored by the footstep coordinate storage means (FIGS. 15 and 16). More specifically, the first determination means may detect the presence of an obstacle (fixed object, topographic object, and the like) in the traveling direction determined by the second character movement control means. The footstep coordinate storage means may store footstep coordinates in such a manner that new footstep coordinates are preferentially stored. In this case, a predetermined number of footstep coordinates may be stored. Alternatively, footstep coordinates in a predetermined time period may be stored.
According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the second character movement control means moves the second character unable to move toward the destination coordinates, with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means, toward footstep coordinates closest to a current location of the second character, the footstep coordinates being included in the footstep coordinates stored by the footstep coordinate storage means (FIG. 15).
According to a sixth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the footstep coordinate storage means stores the footstep coordinates together with time information (frame number) (FIG. 14). The time information indicates a time at which the footstep coordinates are stored or a time period during which the first character is present at the footstep coordinates. When the second character moving based on the footstep coordinates stored by the footstep coordinate storage means arrives at the footstep coordinates, the second character movement control means sets footstep coordinates, which are stored by the footstep coordinate storage means after the footstep coordinates at which the second character has arrived, to destination footstep coordinates, and moves the second character toward the destination footstep coordinates (FIG. 18).
According to a seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the game apparatus further comprises second determination means (22, S76) for determining whether or not the second character moving based on the footstep coordinates stored by the footstep coordinate storage means is able to move toward the destination footstep coordinates specified by the second character movement control means. The second character movement control means moves the second character unable to move toward the destination footstep coordinates toward footstep coordinates other than the destination footstep coordinates specified by the second character movement control means, the footstep coordinates being stored by the footstep coordinate storage means after the footstep coordinates at which the second character has arrived.
According to an eighth aspect, in the fourth aspect, when the second character moving based on the footstep coordinates satisfies predetermined requirements, the second character movement control means moves the second character toward the destination coordinates. The predetermined requirements are satisfied when the second character can move toward the corresponding destination coordinates, for example. Alternatively, it may be determined that the predetermined requirements are satisfied when the second character can move toward the destination coordinates in a linear manner (due to the absence of the obstacle between the current coordinates and the destination coordinates), or another algorithm may be used for determining whether or not the second character can move toward the destination coordinates.
According to a ninth aspect, in the fourth aspect, when the second character moving based on the footstep coordinates is within a predetermined distance from the destination coordinates, with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means, the second character movement control means moves the second character toward the destination coordinates (FIG. 17).
A tenth aspect of certain exemplary illustrative embodiments is directed to a computer-readable recording medium for recording a game program causing a computer (22), which is electrically connected to an operation unit (20), to execute a game having a first character and a plurality of second characters appearing therein. The game program causes the computer to function as: first character movement control means (22, S18), destination coordinates setting means (22, S40), correlating means (FIG. 10, 78), and second character movement control means (22, S20).
The first character movement control means controls a movement of the first character in a game space based on an operation by the operation unit, and sets first character coordinates which are coordinates of the first character in the game space. The destination coordinates setting means sets a plurality of destination coordinates (slot coordinates) in the game space with reference to the first character coordinates set by the first character movement control means. The correlating means correlates each of the plurality of second characters with any of the plurality of destination coordinates. The second character movement control means controls a movement of each of the plurality of second characters such that each second character moves toward the destination coordinates with which the second character is correlated by the correlating means, and sets second character coordinates which are coordinates of the second character in the game space (FIG. 11).
According to the first aspect, a movement operation for the first character enables autonomous movement control of the second character based on the first character coordinates. Thus, it is possible to perform concurrent movement control for a plurality of characters. Also, the second character need not always located at the destination coordinates but may be autonomously controlled so as to move toward the destination coordinates, whereby each second character moves depending on the individual situation. Thus, it is possible to control the movement of the second characters in such a natural manner that each second character moves as if by its own will. Also, a settable destination realizes such a control that a particular second character moves toward a desired place.
According to the second aspect, each second character can arrive at the corresponding destination coordinates in the shortest distance.
According to the third aspect, it is possible to set destination coordinates while retaining a positional relationship of a plurality of destination coordinates. Thus, it is possible to realize such a movement control that a plurality of second characters move in formation.
According to the fourth aspect, when the second character cannot move toward the corresponding destination coordinates (due to collision with topographic features, etc.), it is possible to automatically perform such a control to avoid such a situation.
According to the fifth aspect, it is possible to effectively perform a detouring control.
According to the sixth aspect, the second character which is unable to move toward the destination coordinates and is away therefrom can come closer again to the destination coordinates in an efficient manner.
According to the seventh aspect, when the second character is unable to move toward the destination footstep coordinates, it is possible to automatically perform such a control to avoid such a situation.
According to the eighth and ninth aspects, it is possible to return the second character which is unable to move toward the destination coordinates and is away therefrom to the formation.